Close to 700 schools have been referred over concerns they are failing to safely manage asbestos in at least one of their buildings.

Nearly 90% of school buildings in England are thought to contain asbestos which is often found in walls, ceiling tiles and around pipes and boilers.

According to information obtained by The Guardian following a freedom of information request, of the 2,952 bodies that responded in full to the survey, 87% (2,570) reported having the harmful fibres in their school.

This is particularly worrying as research has shown asbestos is more dangerous the younger a person is, with low levels of exposure often causing cancer later in life.

Despite The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advising asbestos only puts people at risk if it is disturbed or damaged, campaigners have raised concerns over the future health of children.

Campaigners have argued asbestos is often poorly managed in schools as staff are unaware of the fibres location in schools.

The government launched the asbestos management assurance process in schools last year in a bid to find more about the fibres presence in schools.

As a result, The Department for Education has now referred 676 state-funded schools and academies in England to the HSE.

AT RISK: (Image: GETTY)

Kevin Courtney, the joint general of the National Education Union said: "The fact that nearly 700 schools have been referred to HSE because they weren't able to satisfy the DFE that they were managing their asbestos in line with legal requirements, is a shocking indictment of current systems of oversight.

"The lives of thousands of staff and pupils could be at risk in these schools. The HSE, which lacks resources following years of budget cuts, will now be expected to investigate these cases and we are concerned that it may struggle to do so."

Every year, about 5,000 people die in the UK from asbestos-related cancers.